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Washington, Sept 18: A new study has revealed that medical dramas on TV such as ‘ER’ are an influential medium for health communication.

Researchers at the University of Southern California found that the primetime NBC network drama had a positive influence on the attitudes and behaviours of viewers, particularly among men when it dealt with issues like teen obesity, hypertension and healthy eating habits.

Washington, Sept 18: According to a new study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), it is a person’s genes that decide whether or not a smoking-cessation drug would help when it comes to quitting smoking.

The study found that the enzyme, which is known to metabolise both the smoking cessation drug bupropion and nicotine, influences smoking cessation and is highly genetically variable in all ethnicities.

Lahore, Sep 18 (ANI): Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said that the return of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan would bring political stability to the country.

"We would welcome Bhutto on her return to the country," Kasuri told reporters on the sidelines of an exhibition organised at the French Embassy in Islamabad to celebrate the completion of 60 years of Pakistan-France friendship.

Kasuri said the government wanted to take along all parties for a national consensus on key issues.

Kolkata, Sept. 18: The seven-day WTA Sunfeast Open tennis tournament has begun, and will see the likes of Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli and Russian Daniela Hantuchova.

On Monday, Sania engaged in some match practice, but an announcement was made that she would not participate in the tournament due to a wrist injury.

West Bengal Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharya inaugurated the tournament at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Washington, Sept 18: Astronomers have launched into space the key components of a new approach to discover life on Mars.

Washington, Sep 18: Researchers have proposed a new diagnostic criteria which will enable physicians to detect and treat Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in its earliest stages, when patients are experiencing only mild degrees of cognitive impairment.

The research, which was co-led by Dr. Howard Feldman, head of the Div. of Neurology in the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine, included investigators from countries like Japan, the U.S. and England.